The Best Thing I Ate Today: Urth Caffe's Tuna Sandwich, Eggplant Panini and Pecan Pie

Check out the food porn. It's an embarrassment of riches, baby!

I used to visit Urth Caffe two or three times a week until I became so complusively addicted, I burnt myself out and now rarely return. But this week I found myself in Santa Monica with time to burn and a yearning for a tuna sandwich.

Urth, here I come.

The thing I love about Urth's tuna is they use mayo on the bread rather that mashed it into the fish, instead adding chopped onion, cucumber and tomato, and a few splashes of oil and vinegar to the mix, creating a surprisingly refreshing and mouth dazzling blend of zip and richness on crusty cibatta.

The Panini Portobella with roasted portobello caps, grilled yellow peppers, artichoke hearts, arugula, pesto and herbed goat cheese was equally delicious, though it did require a few visits from the salt shaker. Served with a bright spinach salad topped by fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes and caramelized pecans, it was a quickly forgivable minor misstep.

Finally, a mini pecan pie whose nuts gave way to an eggy, luxurious custard held in puff pastry.

Oh, Urth, how could I have forsaken you? I've missed you, m'love, and will see you again very very soon.